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Spain’s Dependency Care Report Shows Yearlong Waits, 32,704 Deaths Despite Record Funding

The findings depict a system funded at 0.8% of GDP that delivers slow, low‑intensity care.

Overview

  • Average resolution time rose to 341 days in 2025, breaching the 180‑day legal limit, with only five regions plus Ceuta and Melilla meeting the deadline.
  • At year‑end, 258,167 people were awaiting some stage of the process, including 148,907 with recognized rights but no service, while the Ministry cites 152,693 using a six‑month cutoff.
  • System spending reached €13,506.6 million in 2025 (0.8% of GDP), and the report characterizes the model as low cost with inadequate benefit levels, such as residential subsidies around €550–€567 per month.
  • Territorial gaps persist: Murcia nears a 559‑day wait (Andalusia 496, Canary Islands 430) versus 113 days in Castile and León; only six communities receive a passing grade, with Castile‑La Mancha topping the ranking at 8.25.
  • The Observatorio counts 32,704 deaths in 2025 among applicants awaiting recognition or services—about one every 16 minutes—and estimates roughly a decade is needed to achieve full coverage at the current pace.